Ariana Grande Then and Now: Singer's transformation from red-haired child star to pop icon
Ariana Grande's beauty evolution and journey to worldwide stardom
Ariana Grande, the American singer, actress, and pop icon, is known for her powerful vocals. With multiple Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards, she is a force to be reckoned. Ariana's journey began at a young age when she participated in local theater productions. Her big break came when she joined the cast of the Broadway musical '13' in 2008. Grande's beauty evolution occurred side-by-side, reflecting her growth as both an artist and a style icon. Starting as a curly-haired young talent on Broadway, she transitioned to her distinctive bright red hair era before switching to her signature ponytail hairstyle and winged eyeliner look. Here's a glimpse into this 30-year-old's beauty evolution.
2009: Ariana Grande's red hair phase and career-high
Ariana Grande was cast in the Nickelodeon television show 'Victorious' in 2009. Her character of the "adorably dimwitted" Cat Valentine stole viewers' hearts. For the role she needed to dye her hair red and as a result, the little star was left with severely damaged hair. "I had to bleach my hair and dye it red every other week for the first 4 years of playing Cat... as one would assume, that completely destroyed my hair," she later wrote in a Facebook post in 2014.
2012: Ariana Grande goes brunette and ditches the red
One year before 'Victorious' ended, she switched to posing with her natural brunette locks. Her color palette for outfits revolved heavily around shades of candy pink. Professionally, Ariana Grande released her first album titled 'Yours Truly' which debuted in the first position on Billboard 200, on November 17, 2012. In 2012, Grande broke up with actor Graham Phillips. They met while working on the Broadway musical '13' and dated for approximately three years before parting ways.
2014: Ariana Grande tones down her looks
Ariana Grande complemented the orange carpet by wearing a vibrant dress at the 2014 Kids' Choice Awards, where she sported a more natural hairstyle, with her hair flowing freely and a gentle middle part. The 20-year-old actress and singer received the Favorite TV Actress award for her role in the popular Nickelodeon series 'Sam & Cat' during the event held at the USC Galen Center.
2015: Ariana Grande was seen sporting prominent winged eyeliner
At the 2015 Grammy Awards, Ariana Grande was spotted wearing distinctive winged eyeliner, a style that has since become a key element of her recognizable appearance. The 'Side by Side' singer was spotted with Big Sean during the award and confirmed she was dating Big Sean in October 2014. Grande and the rapper known for 'Bounce Back' decided to break up just eight months later, in April 2015.
2016: Ariana dyes her hair platinum blonde
Ariana made a striking change by dyeing her hair platinum blonde for the release of her album 'Dangerous Woman'. This edgier look marked a significant departure from her previous brunette locks and reflected a more mature and confident persona. The bold move was well-received by her fans and the fashion world.
2018: Ariana Grande's high ponytail
Ariana began wearing her signature scalp-cinching high ponytail around 2013. In 2018, she appeared at Billboard's 13th Annual Women In Music Event in New York City wearing her high ponytail and revisited a bit of her early 2010s fashion by wearing a pastel color dress.
2022: Ariana keeps it natural
Following her marriage to Dalton Gomez in 2021, the recipient of the Billboard Music Award occasionally displayed her natural appearance, as evident in this Instagram picture where she wore minimal makeup.
2023: Ariana Grande admits to getting lip fillers and botox
Ariana Grande revealed details about her cosmetic procedures during a Vogue Beauty Secrets video. On September 12, 2023, the celebrity confessed, "Full transparency, I've had a tonne of lip filler over the years and Botox. I stopped in 2018 'cause I just felt so . . . too much." Ariana held back tears as she continued: "For a long time, beauty was about hiding for me, and now I feel like maybe it's not." She added, "I was like, 'Oh, I want to see my well-earned cry lines and smile lines. I hope my smile lines get deeper and deeper and I laugh more and more. I just think aging can be such a beautiful thing. Now, might I get a facelift in 10 years? I might, yeah. But these are just thoughts that I feel like we should be able to discuss. If we're sitting here talking about beauty secrets, f**k it. Let's lay it all out there." According to US Weekly, Grande is in a romantic relationship with her fellow 'Wicked' cast member, Ethan Slater, since July 2023. Both Grande and Slater say they separated from their previous spouses before their relationship evolved into a romantic one.